Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme: Summer and Christmas 2023

The purpose of the HAF programme is to make free places at holiday clubs available in the Summer, Easter, and Christmas holiday periods to children in their local authority area in receipt of benefits-related free school meals (FSM).

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme summary

School holidays can put pressure on some families because of increased costs (such as food and childcare) and reduced incomes. For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from disadvantaged families:

  • less likely to access organised out-of-school activities.
  • more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health.
  • more likely to experience social isolation.

Funding is being provided to local authorities to co-ordinate a programme that provides healthy food and enriching activities to disadvantaged children during the Summer and Christmas 2023 school holidays.

We are seeking local partners (for example: charities, schools, children’s centres, sports providers, leisure centres, childcare providers, and others) to deliver the Holiday Activities and Food Programme during the 2023 Summer and Christmas holidays.

How to apply    

Applications for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme for Summer and Christmas 2023 are now closed.

Organisations could apply for either holiday period, or for both holiday periods at the time of completion. Organisations could apply for a maximum of £30,000 for Summer 2023 and a maximum of £7,500 for Christmas 2023.

We do not plan to re-open applications for Christmas later in the year. 

Support

For more details regarding the Holiday Activity and Food Programme, visit the guidance page on the DfE website.

If you have any questions, please submit these to: HAFprogramme@croydon.gov.uk